IMDb RATING
6.3/10
2K
YOUR RATING
A gadget-laden gunfighter and gambler interferes with the complex schemes of gangsters and dignitaries hoping to steal a bank's gold and obtain the insurance payout for its theft.A gadget-laden gunfighter and gambler interferes with the complex schemes of gangsters and dignitaries hoping to steal a bank's gold and obtain the insurance payout for its theft.A gadget-laden gunfighter and gambler interferes with the complex schemes of gangsters and dignitaries hoping to steal a bank's gold and obtain the insurance payout for its theft.
- Awards
- 1 nomination total
Gianni Garko
- Sartana
- (as John Garko)
Sydney Chaplin
- Jeff Stewal
- (as Sidney Chaplin)
Klaus Kinski
- Morgan
- (as Klaus Kinsky)
Andrea Scotti
- Perdido
- (as Andrew Scott)
Gianfranco Parolini
- Gambler
- (as J. Francis Littlewords)
Rossella Bergamonti
- Meggie Sam - Stagecoach Passenger
- (as Patricia Carr)
Featured review
It is very obvious why Sartana created an avalanche of sequels, only second to Django. Even if it looks like yet another tale about stolen gold, Mexican bandits and switching allegiances, Sartana feels (and is) different. Of course seen back in 1968, it must have wowed European audiences with its bleak cinematography and nihilistic characters. However, 40 years (!) down the line, and it still feels as refreshingly dark and stylish as ever.
As in with most spaghettis, the plot is near incomprehensible. It has something to do about a stolen shipment of gold and a constant switching of allegiances, as thief betrays thief to get the gold. But, again as in with most spaghettis, the plot isn't the issue at all.
Sartana (1968) is a capsule of pure spaghetti western style. Everything is kept very minimal here, from the scarce dialogues, to the perennially empty town streets. Yet there's a hellish ambiance to proceedings and the nonsensical plot only adds to its psychotronic charm. I gave up trying to follow the plot after a while and just immersed myself in the surreal happenings.
Sartana himself is like a crossover between The Man with no Name (the standard by which every spag antihero is measured) and Django, a black-clad amoral anti-hero. He's not out there to catch the baddies. He's just out for money and blood. His quirky gadgets often bring to mind the other Parolini character, Sabata, but Gianni Garko's character plays on a whole other level. There is of course, the occasional comic relief, in the form of an old gravedigger, but it only confirms that Sartana is indeed a grim western. That same darkness would resurface in Clint Eastwood's High Plains Drifter years later, on the other side of the pond.
Overall, this is a must see for SW afficionados. If you're a fan of Corbucci's nihilistic side (Django, The Great Silence), Sartana will make you cream your pants. Dark, stylish, with a streak of Euro horror running through it, Sartana is a criminally forgotten piece of celluloid. Watch it and find out.
As in with most spaghettis, the plot is near incomprehensible. It has something to do about a stolen shipment of gold and a constant switching of allegiances, as thief betrays thief to get the gold. But, again as in with most spaghettis, the plot isn't the issue at all.
Sartana (1968) is a capsule of pure spaghetti western style. Everything is kept very minimal here, from the scarce dialogues, to the perennially empty town streets. Yet there's a hellish ambiance to proceedings and the nonsensical plot only adds to its psychotronic charm. I gave up trying to follow the plot after a while and just immersed myself in the surreal happenings.
Sartana himself is like a crossover between The Man with no Name (the standard by which every spag antihero is measured) and Django, a black-clad amoral anti-hero. He's not out there to catch the baddies. He's just out for money and blood. His quirky gadgets often bring to mind the other Parolini character, Sabata, but Gianni Garko's character plays on a whole other level. There is of course, the occasional comic relief, in the form of an old gravedigger, but it only confirms that Sartana is indeed a grim western. That same darkness would resurface in Clint Eastwood's High Plains Drifter years later, on the other side of the pond.
Overall, this is a must see for SW afficionados. If you're a fan of Corbucci's nihilistic side (Django, The Great Silence), Sartana will make you cream your pants. Dark, stylish, with a streak of Euro horror running through it, Sartana is a criminally forgotten piece of celluloid. Watch it and find out.
- chaosrampant
- Feb 24, 2008
- Permalink
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaOn the Norwegian cover of the VHS tape, it does not have the name of the main star, Gianni Garko. Only the names of the co-stars Klaus Kinski, Willam Berger and Sidney Chaplin.
- GoofsAt the end of the film, large clouds of dust and hay billow in the street, yet the leaves on the tree in the foreground are perfectly still. The dust and hay are obviously being blown by large fans off-camera.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Car ils sont sans pitié (2006)
- How long is If You Meet Sartana Pray for Your Death?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- If You Meet Sartana Pray for Your Death
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- ITL 137,000,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 35 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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